Update (March 1, 2013)

Update (March 1, 2013)

Franconia Police District – Police are investigating three additional
incidents of groping that may be connected to the series in the
Springfield area.

The
most recent incident occurred today, Friday, March 1, at around 11:45
a.m. on Floyd Avenue near Hanover Street. A 28-year-old woman was walking
when she was grabbed. She screamed and he fled.

Another incident took place last night, February 28, at around 5 p.m. A
29-year-old woman was walking in the 5900 block of Dinwiddie Street when
a man approached her from behind, grabbed her and fled.

A
third incident reportedly took place on February 26, at around 6:30 p.m.
on Amherst Avenue near Cumberland Avenue. This incident was reported to
police on February 28. A 20-year-old woman was jogging when a man
approached her from behind, fondled her. She screamed and he fled.

The
suspect in each of these three recent incidents is similar: a Hispanic
male, around 5 feet 6 to 5 feet 8 inches tall, with facial hair, a ball
cap, and blue jeans. This brings the number of possible related assault
incidents to 21.

Update (February 6, 2013)

West
Springfield Police District – Detectives are investigating what they
consider to possibly be the eighteenth incident in this series. Officers
responded to the 6600 block of Grey Fox Drive in Springfield on
Wednesday, February 6 shortly after 5 p.m. for the report of a
21-year-old woman who had just been assaulted. The victim was walking
alone when the suspect approached her from behind, grabbed her buttocks
and then fled. The victim was not injured.

The
suspect was described as white or possibly Hispanic, 5 feet 6 to 5 feet 8
inches tall, and approximately 180 pounds. He was wearing a gray T-shirt
with blue sleeves, dark sweatpants, white sneakers and a cloth partially
covering his face.

Detectives
are also releasing a new composite sketch of the suspect involved in the
two incidents reported on Wednesday, January 30. In both of those cases,
the suspect was described as having acne or shaving bumps on his cheeks.

UPDATE (January 31, 2013)

Franconia Police District – Police are investigating two assaults that
took place within twenty minutes of each other on Wednesday, January
30th at 3:10 and 3:35 p.m. While it is unknown whether or not
these cases are linked, detectives are looking at the possibility that
they could be the sixteenth and seventeenth assaults in the series of
incidents that have occurred in the Springfield area.

In the first incident, a 30-year-old woman was walking south on
Dinwiddie Street near Dana Avenue. She reported that someone approached
from behind her, grabbed and groped her, then fled.

The suspect was described as Hispanic, around 5 feet 6 inches tall, with
a neatly trimmed beard. He wore a sweatshirt.

The second incident took place a few blocks away, on Backlick Road near
the intersection of Cabin John Road. A 25-year-old woman was walking
south on Backlick Road, underneath the 495 underpass when she felt
someone groping her. She yelled and the suspect fled.

The suspect was described as Hispanic, around 5 feet 6 inches tall,
wearing a black knit hat with red stripes. He also wore a black jacket
and and blue jeans.

UPDATE (January 4, 2013)

West Springfield Police District – Police are investigating a possible
fifteenth assault incident that took place Thursday, January 3 at around
5:45 p.m. A 30-year-old woman was jogging in the 4400 block of Briarwood
Court near Patriot Drive when she saw a man suddenly approach her from
Ivymount Court. He grabbed her, she yelled, and he fled.

The suspect was Hispanic, between 25 and 30 years old, around 5 feet 7
inches tall. He wore a green fleece jacket, dark pants and dark shoes.

UPDATE (December 14, 2012)

Franconia
Police District - Police are investigating a possible fourteenth incident
that took place Thursday, December 13 around 5:45 p.m. A 43-year-old
woman was walking in the 6000 block of Hibbling Avenue when a man grabbed
her from behind and touched her. She turned and yelled at him and he
fled. The suspect wore a black jacket, black pants and was between
20 and 30 years old.

UPDATE (December 13, 2012)

Franconia
Police District - Police are investigating a possible thirteenth incident
that took place Thursday, December 13 around 9 a.m. A 23-year-old woman
was walking on Floyd Avenue near Erving Street when a man ran up behind
her and fondled her. The man then fled. He was described as 5 feet six
inches tall and Hispanic. He wore faded green pants, a black knit cap, a
green jacket, and had a close-cut beard.

UPDATE (December 12, 2012)

West Springfield Police District– Police are investigating a possible
twelfth incident that took place on Tuesday, December 11 around 10:28
a.m. A 49-year-old woman was running along Blarney Stone Drive near Omega
Court when a man ran up behind her and fondled her.

The woman struck him and he fled. The suspect was described as
Hispanic, between 25 and 30 years old, around 5 feet 6 inches tall. He
wore a red cap, black jacket and blue, skinny jeans.

UPDATE (November 21, 2012)

Franconia
Police District - A possible eleventh incident occured on Wednesday,
November 21. At approximately 1:20 p.m. near the intersection of Amherst
Avenue and Cunberland Avenue, a 36-year-old woman was approached from
behind by a man who groped her and fled.

The
suspect was described as a man of unknown race, about 5 feet 9 inches to
5 feet 10 inches tall. He was wearing a black t-shirt, khaki pants, and a
blue hat.

UPDATE (November 20, 2012)

Franconia Police District – Police are investigating a tenth incident
that occurred on Monday, November 19 that may be linked to others in the
Springfield area. A 23-year-old woman was walking in the 7200 block of
Commerce Street shortly after 6 p.m. when a man approached her from
behind, grabbed and groped her and fled.

The
suspect was described as Hispanic with a medium build and around 5 feet 8
inches tall. He wore a black hooded sweatshirt, blue jeans and tennis
shoes.

UPDATE (November 7, 2012)

Franconia Police District – Detectives have learned of a ninth
fondling incident that appears to be linked to others in the Springfield
area. This incident took place on Thursday, November 1 around 4:30 p.m. A
42-year-old woman told police that she was grabbed from behind in front
of a home in the 6000 block of Hibbling Avenue in Springfield.

She described the suspect as Hispanic with a medium build and short
black hair. He wore a dark colored jacket, blue jeans and a red baseball
cap.

The victim told a friend about the incident but she was unaware of the
series of incidents in the neighborhood. The friend urged the victim to
contact police.

Police are continuing to investigate.

Police Receive Eighth Report in Assault Series (Nov. 2, 2012)

Franconia Police District – A 23-year-old woman reported she was grabbed
from behind as she stood at a bus stop on Thursday, November 1. The
incident occurred at around 4 p.m. in the 7200 block of Commerce Street
in Springfield.

After the suspect reportedly groped the woman, she screamed and he fled.

She described the man as thin, Hispanic, with a short beard and fitting
the same suspect description as previous assaults in the area. He wore a
black baseball hat, tan pants and white tennis shoes.

UPDATE (October 26, 2012)

Police Receive Seventh Report in Assault Series

West Springfield District - Police are investigating a
report of an assault that took place on Lake Pleasant Drive near
Edinburgh Drive in the Springfield area. A woman reported that a man
approached her from behind and grabbed her at around 9:30 a.m. on
Thursday, October 25.

The suspect was described as a Hispanic male in his 30's and fitting the
same general description as six previous assaults in the Springfield
vicinity.

UPDATE

Police Receive Sixth Report in Assault Series

Franconia Police District – Detectives were made aware of a sixth
fondling incident in the Springfield area that was believed to have taken
place around 7:30 p.m. between September 9 and 13. A 25-year-old woman
reported that she was walking on Cumberland Drive near Dinwiddie Street
by the Commerce Street bus stop when a man approached from behind,
grabbed and groped her. He fled and there were no injuries that required
medical attention.

She described the suspect as white, between 5 feet 6 inches and 5 feet 8
inches tall and wearing blue pants and a white T-shirt.

The woman’s report came forward as detectives were conducting a
neighborhood canvass on Thursday, October 4.

UPDATE

Police Urge Victims to Come Forward;

Composite Sketch Released

Franconia Police District – Detectives were made aware of a fifth
fondling incident in the Springfield area that took place on Wednesday,
September 19. A 40-year-old woman reported that she was walking along
Hibbling Avenue near Exmore Street when she heard someone behind her. As
she turned to see why he didn’t pass, he grabbed and groped her as she
struggled free. The suspect then fled.

She described him as Hispanic, in his 30’s, 5 feet 8 inches tall, with
dark eyes and a neatly trimmed beard. She said he wore a black and white
bandana with designs on it, black nylon pants with two blue stripes down
the sides, a blue long sleeved shirt and black shoes.

Detectives believe that there may be additional victims and incidents
that have gone unreported and urge women to contact police if they have
encountered this suspect.

UPDATE: Another Teen
Assaulted

Franconia Police District – A 15-year-old girl reported that she was
grabbed from behind and fondled around 7:15 p.m. in the 6200 block of
Hibbling Avenue in Springfield on Tuesday, October 2. The girl was
walking northbound on Hibbling near Exmore Street when the incident
occurred. After she was grabbed, she pulled away from the suspect and
fled.

Police are investigating whether or not this assault may be linked
to three other similar incidents that took place in September.

Springfield-area
Fondling Cases May be Linked

Franconia Police District – A 17-year-old girl was grabbed from behind
and fondled around 9 a.m. in the 5900 block of Erving Street on Thursday,
September 27. The woman was walking on the sidewalk when the assault
occurred. Police believe this assault may be linked to two other similar
incidents that took place in September. In each of these the suspect wore
a plain, red baseball cap.

She described the suspect as either Asian or Hispanic, mid 30s, around 5
feet 8 inches tall with a black, close-cut beard. He wore a blue T-shirt,
black cotton sweatpants with a white stripe on each side and a red
baseball cap.

On September 18, a 16-year-old student was walking on a path in the 6700
block of Metropolitan Center Drive in Springfield around 2:45 p.m. when
she was grabbed. The suspect fondled her and ran away. The suspect was
described as a Hispanic male with a thin, black goatee or beard. He wore
a red baseball cap, blue jeans, and a white T-shirt.

On September 7, a 26-year-old woman was walking in the area of Old Keene
Mill Road and Springfield Boulevard around 8:30 a.m. when she heard a
whistle. When she reached the 7200 block of Monticello Boulevard a man
grabbed her from behind and fondled her. The man fled.

She described the suspect as Hispanic, and around 5 feet 6 inches tall.
He wore a red baseball cap.

None of the victims required medical attention.

Anyone with information is asked to call Crime Solvers by phone at
1-866-411-TIPS/8477, e-mail at www.fairfaxcrimesolvers.org
or text “TIP187” plus your message to CRIMES/274637 or call Fairfax
County Police at 703-691-2131.